Genevieve

As I turn into the marketplace I smell the fresh fruit and breads. The smells collide making an ever-so perfect daze, pulling me towards every shop. I buy at least one of everything. 'I shouldn't have done that, I can barely pay the rent.' My eyes roll with annoyance at my own actions.

Harold, one of my favorite shop owners, waves to me and shouts, "Ciao Genevieve! Come stai, how are you?"

"Bene, good. You?" I say with a sigh, I'm stilled annoyed at my spendings.

"Grande, lots of good business lately!" Harold calls out,  his face turns a shade of pink and his voice is laced with happiness. "Well, I shall see you tomorrow, addio!"

"Addio Harold!" I wave to him and with that I'm on my way casa, home.
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Once I step onto my viale I hear my phone buzz. I take it out of the back pocket of my black denim shorts and it lights up. On my screen is a notification from the news saying 'Mandatory Isolation!' "What the hell?"

I drop my bags down on my counter and grab the tv remote. As the television lights up I press the numbers from the notification on my phone for the news channel, '3751.' I sit down on my divano, couch and sweep my fiery red hair out, away from my eyes. Ruben, my grumpy old cat, hops onto my lap and purrs.

My mouth drops in shock. 'Worldwide pandemic spreads throughout Italy. Mayor of Venice issues a mandatory isolation period of seven days!'

"Wait. That means I don't have to see or talk to anyone for seven days? Holy crap that's sorprendente, amazing!" My voice wavers as if I'm about to cry of felicità, happiness. I lay back onto my divano and just relax. "No more work. No more people. Just me, myself, and I." Ruben scratches my leg, "Ruben! Sorry, ok, me, myself, and Ruben. Happy now?"

"Well, now I'm actually kind of lieta, glad that I got all those extra groceries." I remark as I'm heading over to the cucina to put them away. To have a little bit of fun I reach for my phone and turn on some musica! I dance and dance away, celebrating this new time for myself.

As I spin and twirl, my mind wanders to a paradise where everyone is always isolated. No one to bother me or interrupt my creative sessions of designing clothes. I would have all the time in the world to do whatever I please right inside my own casa. I could eat what I want when I want to and no one would judge me for it. I would never have to get ready and dressed for the day, I could just wear comfy sweats, all day everyday.

Suddenly, I'm on the floor and my head is spinning. "Woah, wait. Stay still." I say as I'm trying to grab onto my marble, slippery floors. Obviously, that doesn't work and I just keep slipping and falling, over and over again. 'Oh, thank God!' my eyes are now, finally able to concentrate on one specific thing. I see Ruben come and sit next to me, "Oh thanks for helping Ruben." I say sarcastically.

I stand up to turn off the musica coming from my phone. "Okayyy, no more of that." Then I press the pause button and it's quiet. I almost feel lonely or sad, but then I remember, 'I just had my first dance party of isolation, let's go!' The pep re-enters my body and I continue to put away the groceries.

'The fruit goes in the fridge, the other stuff goes in the pantry.' I repeat this in my head all throughout the next thirty minutes of me cleaning up the cucina. My teeth bite into the fresh peach. It's so juicy and ripe, picked and bought at the perfect time.

Once everything is put where it belongs I stumble over to the grey divano flop down, immersing myself into the soft velvet texture it holds. I wrap myself into a blanket cocoon using a smooth, black throw blanket that happened to be laying over my couch. Ruben jumps onto the divano and lays next to my head. When my phone turns on, right in front of my tired face, my eyes squint at the brightness inside of my cocoon. Whilst hissing I turn the brightness down, now I'm able to open my eyes fully.